coughing fit. She hoped she wasn't in her panda disguise again. Then she turned her attention back to the conversation.
"Bob wouldn't know what to do if he retired. I'd like to go on a round the world cruise, but I doubt he could pull himself away."
"How many years have you been married," Max asked, trying to steer the conversation into a neutral, danger free area.
"Fifty years next year."
"Wow. You must have married young."
"I was eighteen. It was long before he became an important business man. We've helped each other through a lot. He's my best friend."
"Do you have children?" Max asked, not knowing if she should know or not. It wasn't the kind of thing that ever cropped up in the bank's internal newsletter.
"Three, all grown up of course. My daughter is a doctor, Bob was disappointed she wasn't going to join him at work. She always was his favourite."
"That's not wholly true, Elaine," Bob said, joining the conversation.
"Yes, it is Bob. She was a daddy's girl, she’s got your stubborn attitude, and went off to change the world in a different way."
"She works in third world countries. Helping those less fortunate."
"You must be very proud."
"We are, but sometimes it's a worry."
"How about you two, kids on the horizon?" Elaine asked.
"Oh, no." Max shook her head.
"Not until we've known each other a good deal longer," Dan added.
"Sensible. Sensible. And I would hate to lose Max to maternity leave any time soon."
"Don't worry, Bob." She still felt awkward calling him that, especially seems she would have to go back to calling him, Sir, on Monday.
"Oh, main course. I've been looking forward to this all day," Elaine said. "They came over to the house with sample menus, and when I say samples they actually cooked them all and let me try them. The beef was delightful, so we went with that. Let's hope they maintained the standard."
Max watched Elaine. She might be matronly, but she had the look of a woman who was made of steel. No wonder Bob had never strayed, she would give him what for if he ever stepped out of line. They certainly complemented each other. Right now she was telling him very tactfully to cut down on his wine. Max hid her smile, and moved her attention away from them, looking around the dining room instead.
So many of her work colleagues were here with their partners, it was good to feel part of that for once. Through her working career she had dined alone at these dinners, or brought Robin along as a substitute. Finally she fitted in, and she planned to enjoy every moment of it. they had passed the test so far, managing to believably act like a couple. She could kiss Dan for doing this. Well, she could kiss Dan for anything, any excuse would do. While they ate, she remembered the feel of his lips on hers, his tongue exciting her sensitive flesh, probing for more.
She would need a cold shower by the end of the evening. That drew her thoughts to when she would have to pay him and say goodbye. Would it be after dinner, or after sex? She swallowed a piece of meat that was too big, and had to gulp it down, her eyes watering again, but she managed not to cough. Not exactly a vision of sophistication, but Dan didn't seem to notice. He was chatting to the husband of one of the PA's, they were talking sport, the level at which all men seemed to find a common language.
Realising she had slipped into silence for too long, she made small talk with everyone else, but her mind kept slipping back to images of Dan, in various states of undress.
"So what happens after dinner?" Dan asked, innocently, but the look in his eyes was far from that.
"There's music, dancing, that kind of thing."
"And how long are we expected to stay for?"
"I don't know. I usually go home early."
"Sounds good to me."
"Is my company boring?"
"Oh, no. But I much prefer it when there's no one else around."
She swallowed down her panic, and bravely asked, "What do you have in mind?"
"You, me a room somewhere."
Dessert was
"Bob wouldn't know what to do if he retired. I'd like to go on a round the world cruise, but I doubt he could pull himself away."
"How many years have you been married," Max asked, trying to steer the conversation into a neutral, danger free area.
"Fifty years next year."
"Wow. You must have married young."
"I was eighteen. It was long before he became an important business man. We've helped each other through a lot. He's my best friend."
"Do you have children?" Max asked, not knowing if she should know or not. It wasn't the kind of thing that ever cropped up in the bank's internal newsletter.
"Three, all grown up of course. My daughter is a doctor, Bob was disappointed she wasn't going to join him at work. She always was his favourite."
"That's not wholly true, Elaine," Bob said, joining the conversation.
"Yes, it is Bob. She was a daddy's girl, she’s got your stubborn attitude, and went off to change the world in a different way."
"She works in third world countries. Helping those less fortunate."
"You must be very proud."
"We are, but sometimes it's a worry."
"How about you two, kids on the horizon?" Elaine asked.
"Oh, no." Max shook her head.
"Not until we've known each other a good deal longer," Dan added.
"Sensible. Sensible. And I would hate to lose Max to maternity leave any time soon."
"Don't worry, Bob." She still felt awkward calling him that, especially seems she would have to go back to calling him, Sir, on Monday.
"Oh, main course. I've been looking forward to this all day," Elaine said. "They came over to the house with sample menus, and when I say samples they actually cooked them all and let me try them. The beef was delightful, so we went with that. Let's hope they maintained the standard."
Max watched Elaine. She might be matronly, but she had the look of a woman who was made of steel. No wonder Bob had never strayed, she would give him what for if he ever stepped out of line. They certainly complemented each other. Right now she was telling him very tactfully to cut down on his wine. Max hid her smile, and moved her attention away from them, looking around the dining room instead.
So many of her work colleagues were here with their partners, it was good to feel part of that for once. Through her working career she had dined alone at these dinners, or brought Robin along as a substitute. Finally she fitted in, and she planned to enjoy every moment of it. they had passed the test so far, managing to believably act like a couple. She could kiss Dan for doing this. Well, she could kiss Dan for anything, any excuse would do. While they ate, she remembered the feel of his lips on hers, his tongue exciting her sensitive flesh, probing for more.
She would need a cold shower by the end of the evening. That drew her thoughts to when she would have to pay him and say goodbye. Would it be after dinner, or after sex? She swallowed a piece of meat that was too big, and had to gulp it down, her eyes watering again, but she managed not to cough. Not exactly a vision of sophistication, but Dan didn't seem to notice. He was chatting to the husband of one of the PA's, they were talking sport, the level at which all men seemed to find a common language.
Realising she had slipped into silence for too long, she made small talk with everyone else, but her mind kept slipping back to images of Dan, in various states of undress.
"So what happens after dinner?" Dan asked, innocently, but the look in his eyes was far from that.
"There's music, dancing, that kind of thing."
"And how long are we expected to stay for?"
"I don't know. I usually go home early."
"Sounds good to me."
"Is my company boring?"
"Oh, no. But I much prefer it when there's no one else around."
She swallowed down her panic, and bravely asked, "What do you have in mind?"
"You, me a room somewhere."
Dessert was
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